Equine Services

Wellness care- "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" That saying holds true for horses also. As part of our routine care we provide vaccinations, deworming, Coggins testing, and dental care. At the time of service we can discuss any issues you may have with your horse including nutritional needs, training programs, geriatric care, etc..

Time of need care- We offer care for your horse in case of medical colic, sickness, lameness, injury, metabolic problems, or chronic illness. We are equipped to provide intravenous fluids and most laboratory results are obtained within 24 hours. Emergency care for our regular clients is provided on a 24 hour basis.

Pre-purchase examinations- An extensive physical examination, lameness evaluation, neurologic examination, and drug screen is offered by us prior to purchasing a horse. The information gathered is used by the prospective buyer and/or agent to determine whether the horse will be servicable for it's intended use. The exam often includes laboratory testing, digital radiographs, endoscopy, and ultrasound exams.

Geriatric care- Aged horses can have sub-clinical health care issues that can be identified and treated before they become a problem. If your horse is over 15 years of age we recommend a complete physical examination and blood testing to establish baseline values.

Lameness examination- Evaluate the locomotion of your horse. We use a variety of techniques to identify the source(s) of lameness including physical examination and palpation, flexion tests, and joint and nerve blocks. Digital radiography, ultrasound, and laboratory tests help us to further evaluate the source of your horse's lameness.

Surgery- Standing or recumbent surgery of the horse is performed for castration, biopsy and laceration repair. More complicated procedures may be referred to a specialist.

Microchip- When the chip is scanned by law enforcement officials, disaster workers or veterinarians, a phone call goes into HORSEtrac?, the 24 hour disaster and recovery network for horses. Your registered owner information is immediately available. We can scan and place microchips in your horse.

Specialized procedures:

Digital Ultrasonography- uses sound waves to evaluate soft tissues like tendons and ligaments, reproductive organs, lumps, and tumors. It is painless and non-invasive.

Digital Radiography- uses x-rays to visualize bone for abnormalities including arthritic changes, fractures, ocd, bone cysts and bone infection. Our unit is capable of providing digital images within 2 seconds. These images are viewed on a 3 megapixael 17" screen and can be enlarged and windows leveled to see subtle  changes often not visible on conventional radiographs.

Endoscopy- utilizes a fiber optic device for evaluating the upper airway of the horse, including the larynx, sinuses and guttural pouches. The trachea and upper esophagus can also be examined with this flexible device. Useful in prepurchase examinations, pneumonias, or reactive airway disease.

Acupuncture- is an ancient chinese practice that utilizes needles to stimulate nerve pathways to heal many problems. Often, chinese herbs will be prescribed to aid in therapy.

Tui-na- is a technique of chinese orthopedic manipulation and massage of acupuncture points to promote healing.

Tonometry- is a procedure that measures the intraocular pressure of the eyeball and is useful in detecting glaucoma and uveitis.

Shock wave therapy- employs pressure waves to decrease recovery times for certain injuries to soft-tissue structures (tendons, ligaments) and bones. We use a machine that produces focused waves and the depth of penetration and force can be modified to suit the structure being treated.

Allergy testing/hyposesitization- skin testing is considered the gold standard by most allergists in the United States. Blood test results do not correlate well to skin test results. In our practice skin testing is the method of choice to diagnose and treat skin and respiratory allergies in the horse.

Stem cell therapy- regenerative medicine uses a concentrated form of autologous adipose-derived adult stem cells to treat traumatic and degenerative diseases, including bowed tendons, ligament injuries, osteoarthritis, and osteochondral defects in horses.

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy(PRP)- platelet-rich plasma gel when applied to an injury site delivers a high concentration of growth factors that accelerate tissue regeneration and healing. It is indicated when faster healing, increased wound strength, pain relief and reduced scarring of injured area is desired. PRP has been successfully used to treat equine corneal ulcers, acute skin wounds, tendon and ligament injuries.

A-Cell therapy- is a naturally occurring biologic scaffold that fundamentally alters the wound healing response by providing a favorable environment for cell growth at the site of damaged, weakened or missing tissue. The ACell Vet? product fundamentally changes healing by triggering abundant new blood vessel formation and recruiting numerous cell types to the wound site. These cells, including mononuclear cells, have the potential to differentiate, organize and develop into numerous types of site specific tissues. During the healing process, the ACell Vet? scaffold is gradually degraded and resorbed, leaving only new tissue where scar tissue would be the typical healing response.

Class IV Laser Therapy- Laser therapy, or photobiomodulation, is the use of specific wavelengths of light (red and near infrared) to create theraputic effects in the tissue. Thousands of published studies demonstrate the clinical effectiveness of laser therapy. These effects include: improved healing time, pain reduction, increased circulation, decreased swelling and edema, and reduction of inflammation. After surgery, patients receiving laser therapy have less pain. Their recovery is faster with fewer complications.